What Is Federalism?
Federalism divides power between the national government and the states. Here's how the split works — enumerated, reserved, and concurrent powers.
Updated June 2026
Quick answer
Federalism is the division of power between a national (federal) government and the state governments, with each holding authority the other can't simply override. The Constitution gives certain powers to the federal government, reserves the rest to the states, and lets them share some — a deliberate balance against concentrated power.
How the power is split
| Type | Who holds it | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Enumerated (delegated) | Federal | Coin money, declare war, regulate interstate commerce, run the postal system |
| Reserved | States | Schools, local police, marriage and licensing, elections administration |
| Concurrent | Both | Taxing, building roads, running court systems, making and enforcing laws |
The rules that hold it together
- The Tenth Amendment reserves to the states (or the people) any powers the Constitution doesn't give the federal government.
- The Supremacy Clause (Article VI) makes valid federal law the supreme law of the land when it genuinely conflicts with state law.
- Together they create a tension by design — neither level can swallow the other.
Why the framers chose it
Federalism was the compromise between two failures the founders wanted to avoid: a central government too weak to function (the problem under the Articles of Confederation) and one so strong it threatened liberty (the fear that drove the Anti-Federalists). Madison called the result a 'double security' for rights — power checked both between the two levels of government and among the branches within them.
Common questions
What is federalism in simple terms?
It's the sharing of power between the national government and the states. Some powers belong to the federal government, some are reserved to the states, and some are shared — so no single level of government holds it all.
What's the difference between enumerated and reserved powers?
Enumerated (or delegated) powers are the specific authorities the Constitution grants the federal government, like coining money or declaring war. Reserved powers are everything left to the states under the Tenth Amendment, like running schools and local policing.
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